Gun Violence March

I will be going on the student march against gun violence on Saturday, March 24th.  Please march for our kids.  Make a sign like the one below to carry during the march.

The kindness of a law enforcement officer

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a-more-perfect-union-homeless-man-reunites-with-family/

Inspiration for the day

Engagement!

In the 1990’s our family had as our guest a young man named Iain.  Iain came to us through an organization called “The Children’s Program of Northern Ireland.”  The program brought kids from Northern Ireland to spend part of the summer in Minnesota to escape the conflict (The Troubles”) in Northern Ireland between the Catholics and the Protestants.

We have remained close to Iain and his family.  We were delighted to hear of his recent engagement.

Quinceanera

THE LOPEZ FAMILY WAS VERY EXCITED.  GINA LOPEZ'S 15TH BIRTHDAY WAS IN A FEW DAYS.  THE LOPEZ FAMILY WAS PLANNING A QUINCEANERA, WHICH IS A MEXICAN BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR GIRLS TURNING 15 YEARS OLD.

GINA AND HER MOTHER BOUGHT A BEAUTIFUL WHITE DRESS FOR HER TO WEAR AT HER PARTY.  SHE WOULD ALSO WEAR A LITTLE PRINCESS CROWN ON HER HEAD.  GINA INVITED MANY OF HER FRIENDS, FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS TO HER QUINCEANERA, WHICH WOULD START AT HER CHURCH.  AFTER THE CEREMONY AT THE CHURCH EVERYONE WOULD GO TO A HOTEL WHERE THERE WOULD BE DANCING AND PARTYING.  IN HONOR OF HER BIRTHDAY AND TRADITION, GINA HAD CHOSEN 15 FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAD HELPED HER TO GROW UP.  SHE WOULD THANK EACH ONE DURING THE PARTY.

ON THE DAY OF GINA'S PARTY, HER NEIGHBORS WATCHED AS A LIMOUSINE PARKED IN FRONT OF THE LOPEZ HOUSE.  THE LIMO DRIVER, WHO WAS DRESSED IN A UNIFORM, KNOCKED ON THE PURPLE DOOR.  GINA AND HER FAMILY WALKED OUT TO THE LIMO.  THEY WERE DRESSED IN VERY BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES.  GINA LOOKED LIKE A PRINCESS IN HER WHITE DRESS.  THE NEIGHBORS  WERE IN THE STREET IN FRONT OF THE LOPEZ HOUSE.  THEY SAID LOUDLY, "FELIZ CUMPLEANOS", WHICH MEANS "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" IN SPANISH.  GINA SMILED AND WAVED AT EVERYONE AS THE LIMO DROVE AWAY.

Homelessness from a cat's point of view

THERE ONCE WAS A CAT WHOSE NAME WAS MITZI. WHEN MITZI WAS BORN SHE HAD THREE SISTERS AND TWO BROTHERS IN HER LITTER. MITZI WAS THE BIGGEST KITTEN IN HER LITTER. HER FUR WAS ALL BLACK EXCEPT FOR A PATCH OF WHITE FUR AROUND HER RIGHT EYE. IT MADE HER LOOK A LITTLE LIKE A PIRATE CAT WITH A WHITE PATCH OVER ONE EYE. MITZI AND HER LITTER BROTHERS AND SISTERS WERE BORN OUTSIDE NEAR A BUSY STREET. WHEN MITZI WAS ABOUT SIX WEEKS OLD HER MOTHER PUSHED HER OUT OF THE SMALL NEST THAT SHE HAD MADE UNDER A TREE. IT WAS TIME FOR MITZI TO BE ON HER OWN. SHE WOULD HAVE TO FIND HER FOOD AND A PLACE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT. SHE WAS A FERAL CAT. THAT MEANS THAT SHE DID NOT LIVE WITH A FAMILY WHO WOULD CARE FOR HER. SHE WAS ALL ALONE. MITZI WAS SMART. SHE FOUND FOOD IN GARBAGE CANS. AT NIGHT SHE TRIED TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO HIDE SO THAT WHILE SHE WAS SLEEPING NOTHING COULD SNEAK UP ON HER AND HARM HER. IT WAS FALL NOW BUT SOON IT WOULD BE WINTER. MITZI LIVED IN AN AREA THAT GOT VERY COLD AND ICY IN THE WINTER. HER INSTINCTS TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD TO FIND A WARM PLACE TO STAY. AS SHE WALKED ALONG THE STREETS SHE SAW SOME KIDS WALKING WITH BIG BAGS ON THEIR BACKS. SHE WONDERED IF THERE WAS FOOD IN THOSE BAGS. MAYBE ONE OF THE KIDS WOULD PUT DOWN THEIR BAG. THEN SHE COULD TRY TO OPEN IT TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR HER TO EAT INSIDE OF THE BAG. BUT THE KIDS WERE IN A HURRY AND EACH ONE WENT INTO A DIFFERENT DOOR. SOMETIMES A WOMAN OR MAN WOULD OPEN THE DOOR AND PUT THEIR PAWS AROUND THE KID. MITZI LIKED TO SEE THAT! EACH DAY MITZI WOULD WAIT FOR THE KIDS TO WALK BY AND GO INTO THE DOORS. SOMETIMES WHEN A DOOR WOULD OPEN MITZI COULD SMELL FOOD. SHE WANTED TO RUN INSIDE TO EAT AND BE WITH THE FAMILY WHO LIVED THERE. MAYBE THEY WOULD PUT THEIR PAWS ON HER AND HUG HER. SHE WANTED THAT TO HAPPEN. SO ONE DAY WHEN ONE OF THE DOORS OPENED TO WELCOME THE KID SHE RAN INSIDE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE KID WAS CHASING HER ALL OVER THE PLACE. MITZI HID UNDER A TABLE WITH A LONG TABLECLOTH SO THAT THEY COULDN’T SEE HER. SHE HEARD THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE. THEY WERE SAYING “HERE KITTY, KITTY”. SHE STAYED UNDER THE TABLE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TABLECLOTH WAS LIFTED AND THEY FOUND HER. SHE WOULDN’T COME OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE. SOMEONE PUT A BOWL WITH TUNA FISH NEAR HER. IT SMELLED DELICIOUS. SHE HAD FOUND AN ALMOST EMPTY CAN OF TUNA ONE TIME IN A GARBAGE CAN AND LOVED LICKING EVERY BIT OF IT UP. THE CAN WAS SHARP ON THE EDGES AND CUT HER MOUTH A LITTLE BIT. SHE DIDN’T WANT TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE TO EAT THE TUNA EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS STARVING. SHE KNEW THAT SOMEONE WOULD PICK HER UP AND PUT HER OUTSIDE. SO SHE STAYED THERE. THE LITTLE GIRL WHO SHE HAD FOLLOWED INTO THE HOUSE SAT DOWN AND GOT AS CLOSE AS SHE COULD TO MITZI. SHE TALKED WITH A VOICE THAT WAS VERY NICE. THE LITTLE GIRL HAD SORT OF HIGH VOICE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE SORT OF MEOW MITZI MADE WHEN SHE WAS HAPPY. THE FAMILY BROUGHT WATER AND SOME OTHER FOOD THAT MITZI HADN’T EVER SMELLED OR SEEN BEFORE. MITZI STILL DID NOT COME OUT TO EAT IT. IT WAS GETTING TO BE THE DARK TIME WHEN THE SUN WAS GONE. MITZI WANTED TO STAY IN THIS WARM PLACE WITH THE LITTLE GIRL WITH THE NICE VOICE. SOON THE LIGHTS WERE TURNED OFF AND THE PEOPLE WENT TO ANOTHER PART OF THE PLACE. IT WAS VERY QUIET. MITZI WAITED FOR A LONG TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS ASLEEP. SHE THEN CREPT OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE AND ATE AND DRANK UNTIL SHE WAS FULL. SHE THEN CRAWLED BACK UNDER THE TABLE AND FELL ASLEEP. WHEN THE SUN CAME INTO THE PLACE MITZI WOKE UP. SHE SMELLED WONDERFUL THINGS. SOON THE LITTLE GIRL HAD PUT DOWN A BOWL WITH WHITE STUFF AND LITTLE ROUND CRISPY THINGS FLOATING IN IT. THE GIRL SAT DOWN AND TALKED TO MITZI. HER SOUNDS WERE SO NICE. MITZI STILL DID NOT COME OUT TO EAT ALTHOUGH SHE WAS VERY HUNGRY AGAIN. THE LITTLE GIRL GOT HER BIG BAG AND PUT IT ON HER BACK. THE MAN AND WOMAN PUT THEIR PAWS AROUND THE LITTLE GIRL. THEY THEN OPENED THE DOOR AND THE GIRL RAN DOWN TO THE SIDEWALK. MITZI CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE WHEN THE MAN AND WOMAN WALKED OUT OF THE DOOR. SHE ATE THE LITTLE CRISPY THINGS WITH THE WHITE STUFF ON THEM. THEY WERE GOOD. SHE STAYED UNDER THE TABLE ALL DAY. SOON THE MAN AND WOMAN CAME THROUGH THE DOOR. THE LITTLE GIRL CAME THROUGH THE DOOR A LITTLE LATER. SHE RAN OVER TO THE TABLE AND PEAKED IN AT MITZI. AFTER MANY DAYS OF BEING UNDER THE TABLE MITZI FINALLY CAME OUT TO BE WITH THE FAMILY. THEY TOOK TURNS PUTTING THEIR PAWS ON HER AND RUBBING HER GENTLY. MITZI WASN'T USED TO BEING TOUCHED BUT SHE SOON LOVED IT. MITZI LIVED WITH THE FAMILY AFTER THAT. SHE HAD FOUND A PLACE WITH A FAMILY TO LOVE AND TAKE CARE OF HER.